Often, especially when one has but lately embarked on a better life, a scruple is of no little help to the mind empty of spiritual things. - Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Also known as

Katherine, Ekaterina, Katharina, Katarina

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Apocryphal. Born to the nobility. Learned in science and oratory. Converted to Christianity after receiving a vision. When she was 18 years old, during the persecution of Maximinus, she offered to debate the pagan philosophers. Many were converted by her arguments, and immediately martyred. Maximinus had her scourged and imprisoned. The empress and the leader of the army of Maximinus were amazed by the stories, went to see Catherine in prison. They converted and were martyred. Maximinus ordered her broken on the wheel, but she touched it and the wheel was destroyed. She was beheaded, and her body whisked away by angels.

Immensely popular during the Middle Ages, there were many chapels and churches devoted to her throughout western Europe, and she was reported as one of the divine advisors to Saint Joan of Arc. Her reputation for learning and wisdom led to her patronage of libaries, librarians, teachers, archivists, and anyone associated with wisdom or teaching. Her debating skill and persuasive language has led to her patronage of lawyers. And her torture on the wheel led to those who work with them asking for her intercession. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

While there may well have been a noble, educated, virginal lady who swayed pagans with her rhetoric during the persecutions, the accretion of legend, romance and poetry has long since buried the real Catherine.

Representation

Video

Saint Peter of Alexandria

Profile

Suffered in the persecution of Decius, but survived. Renowned for his knowledge of science and the Bible. Head of the catechetical school at Alexandria, Egypt. Bishop of Alexandria in 300. Opposed extreme Origenism. May have been the first to deal with the Arian heresy.

During the Diocletian persecution, Peter fled the area with many of his flock. Criticized by many for being lenient and forgiving to Christians who had renounced their faith during the persecutions. However, when a rogue bishop usurped Peter's position, the Meletian schism broke out in his clergy, and Peter had to return from hiding to deal with it. Peter excommunicated Meletius and convened a synod of bishops to condemn the schism. His writings were used in the Council of Ephesus and the Council of Chalcedon.

Bishop Peter was martyred with Father Dio, Father Ammonius, and Father Faustus, three of his priests, in the persecutions of Gaius Valerius Galerius Maximinus. As he was the last Christian martyred in Alexandria by civil authorities, the Coptic Church calls him "the seal and complement of the martyrs".

Born

at Alexandria, Egypt

Died

• martyred in 311 at Alexandria, Egypt
• initially buried in an Alexandria martyr's cemetery
• most relics later enshrined in a church at Grasse, France

Representation

• embracing his executioner
• with Christ appearing to him as a child in rags (from a scene in the Acts of the Martyrdom of Saint Peter)

Blessed Beatrice d'Ornacieux

Also known as

Additional Memorial

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In 1273, at the age of thirteen, Beatice joined the Carthusians at the Charterhouse of Parménie, France. In 1301, she and two others, Luisa Alleman of Grésivaudan and Margherita di Sassenaye, were sent to found the monastery of Eymeu in the diocese of Valance, France. Noted for her devotion to the Passion of Christ, offering herself to suffer for others and as penance for the world. Said to have driven a nail through her left hand to help realize the sufferings of the Crucifixion.

Born

c.1260 in Ornacieu, Dauphine (in the southeastern area of modern France

Died

• 25 November 1303 at the monastery of Eymeu, Valence (in modern France) of natural causes
• re-interred in Parménie, France
• re-interred in the Olivetan sanctury there in 1901
• relics enshrined in the church of Rancurel

Additional Memorial

9 December (Franciscans)

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Born poor, the daughter of John and Anne Achler. Franciscan tertiary at age 14, but found it hard to lead a religious life while living with her parents. At age 17 she joined four other tertiaries in a community in Reute, Germany; she lived there the rest of her life. For most of her life she was subject to ecstasies, and received visions of heaven, hell and purgatory. Stigmatist whose wounds hurt constantly, but which bled on Fridays and during Lent. Had the gift of inedia, eating nothing but the Eucharist for long periods.

Born

25 November 1386 at Waldsee, Wurttemberg, Swabia, Germany

Died

• 25 November 1420 at Reute, Germany of natural causes
• buried in the church at Reute

Beatified

19 July 1766 by Pope Clement XIII (cultus confirmed)

Patronage

Saint Petrus Yi Ho-yong

Also known as

Peteuro, Pietro, Peter

Additional Memorial

20 September as one of the Martyrs of Korea

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Brother of Saint Agatha Yi So-sa. Layman catechist in the apostolic vicariate of Korea. Imprisoned for four years, regularly beaten, several bones broken, and he eventually died from his mistreatment. One of the earliest of the Martyrs of Korea.

Born

1803 in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Died

25 November 1838 in Seoul Prison, South Korea of abuse received in prison

Canonized

Blessed Beatrix of Ornacieux

Also known as

Beatrice

Additional Memorial

27 November in the diocese of Grenoble, France

Profile

Carthusian nun. Founded a Carthusian house at Eymieux, France. Known for her devotion to the Passion of Christ; said to have driven a nail through her left hand to help realize the sufferings of the Crucifixion.

Born

c.1260 in Ornacieu, France

Died

c.1306 at the monastery at Eymieux, France of natural causes

Beatified

Saint Moses of Rome

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May have been of Jewish ancestry. Imperial Roman citizen. Priest. Noted preacher. Adamant opponent of the heresy of Novatianism. Correspondent with Saint Cyprian at the beginning of the persecutions of Decius. After the execution of Pope saint Fabian under Emperor Decius, he administered the Church with the help of the priests and bishops who were in Rome. Helped reconcile repentant apostates who were sick and about to die. Imprisoned for nearly a year for his faith. Martyr.

Born

Rome, Italy

Died

Saint Mercurius of Caesarea

Also known as

Mercury

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Scythian Christian soldier who distinguished himself against the barbarian invaders of the Roman empire, and gained the notice of Decius. However, he refused to sacrifice to the pagan god Artemis, and so was tortured and executed. Some versions of his story include angelic visions and messages received in dreams, but his being a soldier and martyr is all we really know.

Died

Saint Audentius of Milan

Also known as

Audenzio

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Born to the imperial Roman nobility, and a sentator from Milan. When visited Saint Julius of Novara on the island of Orta he was so taken by Julius' obvious holiness that he gave him moral, spiritual and financial support in his evangelization work.

Died

• c.400 of natural causes
• buried on Isola San Giulio, Italy next to Saint Julius

Born

Died

Blessed Adalbert of Caramaico

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Benedictine monk at Casauria, Abruzzi, Italy. He retired to live as a hermit in the Caramaico mountain area near Chieti, Italy. There he attracted so many would-be spiritual students that he founded the Saint Nicholas monastery for them.

Saint Maurino of Agen

Also known as

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Martyrs of Africa

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A group of 13 Christians murdered together for their faith in Africa, date unknown. The only details to have survived are their names -
Claudian,
Cyprian,
Donatus,
Felix,
Januarius,
Julian,
Lucian,
Marcian,
Martialis,
Peter,
Quirianus,
Victor and
Vitalis.